MAGAZINE: 80 years since driving tests were introduced in the UK

In 1935, a Mr Beene of Kensington became the first person to pass the driving test, paying 37p in today’s money to take it.

80 years on and a lot has changed on British roads with the number of cars soaring from only around 2 million back then to 27 million vehicles on the road in 2015.

According to a new report by Saga Motor Insurance, it’s now the over 50s who account for nearly half of all motor transport spending, spending £42.4 billion in 2014 and clocking up 7,270 miles a year.

Furthermore, during the last decade the number of people in their 60s and 70s who hold licences has increased much faster than all age groups combined, with a big surge in car ownership of the over 70s.

So what else has changed since Mr Beene’s test? Watch the video to find out.